


Destination: My Best Friend’s Heart

by Peechoo (KT_ExReplica)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: M/M, its really cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28503600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KT_ExReplica/pseuds/Peechoo
Summary: Tired of the cold Kantonian winters, Green takes Red on a vacation that includes the sun, the beach and absolutely no snow and mountains.
Relationships: Ookido Green | Blue Oak/Red
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32
Collections: 2020 Pokémon Holiday Exchange





	Destination: My Best Friend’s Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laserbobcat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laserbobcat/gifts).



It all started when they were young, being rivals, training Pokémon, getting older and turning every chance to beat the other into a long term game. Who was taller since they last met? Who had caught more Pokémon, who evolved them sooner? How many badges? Who could become the champion first?

That’s how it went, Red bested him at last.

And yet beyond the league their feud lasted until they parted ways, Green flying to Kalos to further his studies, Red choosing to stay in Kanto because he doesn’t like change very much. There he lets challengers battle him at the peak of Mt Silver until Green returns with an accent and a brain full of knowledge. They’re good now, it’s healthy friendly challenges between them.

“We should go someplace warm for the winter.” Green shuffles his booted feet nearer to the bonfire. Red watches him quietly through the flickering flames, he takes a long time to answer as always.

“Why?” He asks.

“Because it’s freezing up here, I’m freezing and you need to see some new sights, I’ll be with you so don’t worry.” Miraculously this line of thinking has Red tipping the brim of his cap back in thought, the campfire catches the burnt umber in his eyes.

“Where?” He replies and Green shrugs because he didn’t think he would get this far with his rival turned best friend. Daisy kept hinting that Alola is specifically nice this time of the year and a great holiday destination for friends, and young couples.

“We could go check out the isles of Alola.” He doesn’t phrase it exactly as a question nor a statement, he just… throws it out there. Red stays silent for a very long time and Green can see his words burning up into cinders when he nods, slightly the motion almost imperceptible but Green knows Red inside out. This isn’t a challenge and he’s sure Red knows the same of him.

“Is it the new Pokémon that enticed you?” Green queries when their plane touches down at Heahea City. Red shakes his head and mumbles something about spending time together, sweat already gathering at the nape of his neck. Green snaps open his new pair of sunglasses as they exit onto the landing strip, heat rises off the tarmac and he relishes under the summer sun soaking into his Kanto iced bones.

It’s a careful thing after that, Green just wants to take a shower before sightseeing but every new Pokémon has Red turning on his heels, gaze alert at the sight of each one. A Litten follows them to their hotel and naps on Red’s feet whilst they check into their room and when Red scoops it up into his arms, it bats playfully at their gifted Lei garlands.

It’s horribly cliche when they slide the keycard into the lock and open the door to their sunlit home for the next fortnight, to find that there is only one bed. Green has seen this trope tried many times and can’t begin to find any coherence to dispute this. Red doesn’t mind, he’s never minded anything when it came to Green, maybe he’s a nice person, maybe it’s because Green was the first person who cared about him.

“I’m gonna take a shower,” Green announces and dumps his luggage unceremoniously on the wood floor. He’s waiting for an answer, Red knows and it's hard for him sometimes, Litten looks up at him and mews scratchily. 

Green is so patient now and all of a sudden it's not so hard anymore.

“Ok, I’ll take this one outside.” Red strokes through the felines dark fur in silent thanks. 

Much later Green remerges and with a couple directions from overwhelmingly kind staff, finds Red in the courtyard with his Charizard and Green’s Arcanine, the large reptile sniffs at the Litten and it swipes at the offending nose, Charizard lurches back and snorting purrs through its snout. Arcanine’s size seems to intimidate the small fire type and so she stays her distance, curled up a ways across the yard with her large paws tucked neatly under the shade of a palm frond.

“Making friends are we? Thought we wouldn’t be catching everything on sight.” Green comments, he can see how Red hides Litten’s pokeball behind his back surreptitiously.

“And when did you get Arcanine?” He adds as an afterthought and Red smiles slightly.

“Exchanged her with Snorlax at the Rotom PC, you gave me your Trainer ID.” 

“You sure the big guy won’t miss out?” Green kneels and holds out his hand for the Litten to inspect. He’s mildly surprised Red even knows how to use a Rotom PC.

“No, the location isn’t important. Only the food.” Red replies with a hint of amusement in his voice. Litten having deemed Green acceptable leaps up onto his outstretched arm and up to perch on his shoulder.

“Yeah? Speaking of food how ‘bout we poke around for some grub?”

-

Alola is very different from Kanto, the weather seemed to change as per the islands, some shrouded in rain half the day and while others were enveloped in balmy breezes and sunshine. The locals explain that the weather is decided by the island guardians, the Tapu and Green makes up a bet for old times sake, whoever sights a Tapu gets to ask the other to do whatever they want for one day. Red pulls down on the brim of his cap to hide his eyes but not his grin when he accepts the challenge.

They visit each locale in the order of the island challenge, taking in the new smells, sights and of course Pokémon. They spend a day exploring brooklet hill, where Green catches his first Alolan Pokémon in the form of a teeny tiny Wishi Washi. 

By the end of the first week they’d checked out the Malasada stores, bought souvenirs, bummed on the beach and caught a dozen new Pokémon each, Red proudly showing off his Alolan Exeggutor to his Mum during their next video call, she expresses her adoration for the goofy monster and gushes over how much she’d love to visit Alola for herself sometime. 

Red finishes their catch up and hands back Green’s phone where his mother addresses Green with startling coolness in her usually bright voice.

“You better take care of him.” She wags a finger teasingly through his Rotom phone screen. Green smiles lopsidedly and glances over his shoulder at Red and his new Exeggutor.

“He can take care of himself.” Green doesn’t know what Daisy has told her but judging by the knowing look on her face he can guess it’s another wild rumour.

“That’s not what I meant love,” she coos and pointedly looks again over Green’s shoulder.

“Right, I’ll keep that in mind.” Green says catching onto her subtext. He won’t survive this trip.

-

Sharing a room, a bed with his best friend who he may or may not be recognising his underlying crush for was torture.

Red’s temperature rubs hot during the day but he’s a furnace during the heavy humid, sweltering summer nights. The mattress was certainly big enough for two grown men but it was the principle of sharing before setting boundaries, should there be any. Green like most nights waits for Red to drift off and cool down among the soft sheets before quietly slipping out to watch the gatherings of sweet little Clefa and the rounder Clefable dance on the beach under a full zenith moon.

He thinks about them, what they mean to each other and why he couldn’t stop thinking how easily Red had agreed to come on this trip. This sort of climate would usually be a kin to a death sentence for the stoic trainer, even so unbelievably, he had smiled the whole time despite all the shirts he’d sweat through.

A duo of Clefable pirouette across the waves and Blue envies their freedom in a moment of sleep deprived madness. 

He sleeps near sunrise that night, brain finally exhausted from the what ifs and buts. Tentatively settling for, perhaps Red wanted to be here and that lights the cinders in his heart.

And it’s Red who wakes him later with sunshine glowing off his cheeks and Green notices that his tan is remarkable, it wasn’t fair that Red could soak up the rays and Green simply burned. Nevermind that, Red is so close that their noses are just shy of brushing against the other. Just a little bit further, just tip his head to the side and - they never make it jumping apart at the last moment when Green’s alarm blairs through the structured calm.

Flustered Green keeps his thoughts to himself and passes off the pinkness of his cheeks as a result of recently developed sunburn.

-

They go out on Pokérides, Red enjoys the Lapras sea ride and chats Green’s ear off, excited about the tropical ecosystem and how large and healthy the Alolan Lapras were compared to Kantonian.

Green wonders if he should tell Red about the new Gigantimax forms from the Galar region.

They rent Pokémon at the newly built Battle Tree and sign up for one doubles tournament and make it to the final floor before Green’s Combusken is taken out by rockslide and Red’s Shinx takes one cataclysmic Z-Move head on and faints on the spot. They receive consolation prizes and Red swaps out his scarlet baseball cap for the sizzling yellow Pikachu and Tapu Koko cap he’d won.

“You look ridiculous,” Green snickers.

“Yellow isn’t my colour.” Red intones and whilst that may be true, he loves Pikachu and keeps looking at the hat in every reflective surface they pass.

Later Red calls Pikachu from their ball and shows him the new hat, predictably the little rat loves the frightful cap and squeaks in that way that has Green’s thunderbolt trauma resurfacing. 

It’s later that same night in one of the quieter restaurants downtown that Green leans across the table to catch Red’s wandering attention. He almost snatches up his best friend’s lax hand out of reflex.

“Hey Red,” Green swallows when dark fathomless eyes flicker over to acknowledge him.

“I was thinking, uh, since this trip is about to come to an end…” He fidgets with his napkin and sits back in his seat, Red tilts his head and motions for him to go on. Green squashes down his fluttering emotions, he was Green Oak for Arceus’ sake! He didn’t stutter nor fumble his way through life.

“I want to make our last night in Alola special, something to remember this by.” He leaves the part where he has everything planned already, he can only hope Red agrees to it all. And does Red make a performance of humming and screwing up his face into his best faux thinking expression? Yes. 

“I think that would be nice.” Red says eventually and Green feels icy relief flood through his trembling overheated core. 

“What do you have in mind?” Red sits back a little for the waiter to do their thing, waving a hand when prompted if he wanted a refill of his drink.

“Well.” Green bares his teeth, pleased that this was all according to his plans.

-

What Green had in mind was certainly nothing Red had actually expected, he had taken out his best Pokémon in the event that Green would officially challenge him to show his appreciation.

The dark tuxedo hanging on the edge of the wardrobe, shiny within its plastic was mocking him. What part of Green thought that he would ever be comfortable in anything other than t-shirts and jeans? It was then he realised what Green meant by this, of course, the entire trip he had been on edge despite all the fun.

Why him out of anyone else? Red knows the answer.

It was the natural course of things, a rivalry thing but also not. Green in all his bossiness and fussiness was still his best friend and the one person he would put higher than his own Pokémon if he had to choose.

Red has always had a crush on Green, ever since they reached into each other’s hearts during that first battle in Prof Oak’s lab, Red uncontrollably latched onto the first person who had ever acknowledged his strengths and thought the weaknesses Red saw in himself as an accumulation of things that made him Red, but not as a whole.

Emboldened by this Red takes down the suit and unfolds it carefully, he can do this. Rotom Phone buzzes to life and it chirps at him and when he looks it has already found him tutorials on how to put together the three piece suit. 

Unbeknownst to Red, the plan was already underway.

Green wants an element of mystery to their final night and instructs Litten on how to lead Red to their dining spot of the night. There he would wait for Red to arrive with punctuality.

“Make sure he gets here on time.” Green says to the Litten.

“Mrr.” Litten rasps, licking its paws and drawing them over its triangular ears. Litten has it easy, he doesn't have to wear a suit and potentially ready a heartfelt speech about how he really really really wants Red to be his boyfriend. 

“Please?” He asks because in Alola the Pokémon were revered in a different more elevated manner. They were companions yes but they held a dignity Kanto, Johto and even Kalos Pokémon didn’t have. This pleases Litten who meows in confirmation and proves Green’s hypothesis that in Alola everyone was a friend.

The sun was beginning to set and Green had to change himself, it was cheesy of him to blindly lead Red into this but if he wasn’t mistaken this would go well regardless of the outcome, platonic or romantic. It would go two ways and both outcomes were great but of course Red returning his feelings would be the best thing ever.

He can only hope that he was reciprocated. 

-

It was time, Green stood on the veranda of the private restaurant chosen for the night. He was grateful that Alolan days were hot and the nights cooler, sweating through a nice rented three piece suit wasn’t ideal. His was closely fitted, cinched at the waist and a silken, barely there floral pattern across the main breast of the jacket. The whole look held together in a colour scheme of ochre gold and deep blue. 

Litten should be arriving any moment now…

It’s now that Green realises that Red has never worn a suit and that thought leads onto - can Red even put on a suit!? He left his Rotom phone for help it should be fine-the perfectionist in him flutters anxiously for the big reveal when a raspy meow punctuates the arrival of man of the hour.

He’s suddenly in the deepest part of the ocean, with how his blood rushes to his cheeks, flooding his ears with the roar of crashing waves. Litten marches in and takes a seat to the side and Red walks through the arch of the door looking like the champion he is. The look is perfectly tailored charcoal and dove grey, his tie is deep burgundy and knotted Galarian Chirchister style about his pale throat. His dark messy hat hair is actually combed for once, slicking back his fringe handsomely to show the proud slope of his rarely shown forehead.

Green realises he hasn’t inhaled in the past few minutes since Red walked in and his lungs contract painfully as he tries to regain his focus without wheezing like an idiot.

“You look nice.” Red is always one step ahead, so steadfast in the hurricane of human emotion.

Flustered, Green stammers his thanks-“I can say the same for you.”

“I know, you did help me choose after all.” And his best friend smiles that small enigmatic smile he always does, reaching up for a cap that isn’t there as he speaks. He hesitates on air and the two chuckle together at the realisation.

Sobering Green plays up a little on his natural theatrics and gestures widely to the obvious romantic setting, at their seclusion and the view of the open galaxy above. If the hint wasn’t obvious enough yet Red stays passive but appreciative, inspecting the silverware on their dining table. He wants to say it now, pour his heart out but he can’t stand the thought of the rest of the evening being awkward. His courage fails him at the last second.

In that moment the sky lights up in a fairy glow and a shrill melodic cry pierces the beautiful star woven sky. Red laughs openly, clear like a bell when Tapu Lele swans past the open deck of the restaurant. Pink stars shining along its fuschia scaled body and the atmosphere dims out of respect at the sight of their Guardian.

Mouth dry Green looks to Red who as expected, hasn't forgotten about their bet, turns to offer his hand and Green takes it. 

Red is breathtaking under the ethereal glow of the Alolan moon, beneath the curtain of the heavens they are drawn together in a collision of nerves and anticipation. Green rises up on his tiptoes and meets Red in the middle, pressing their lips together in a chaste but no less wonderful kiss.

They linger in each other's orbit, neither of them wanting the moment to end. But alas Green coyly takes a step away, remembering that whilst they were alone on the veranda; Litten was still there and so was their waiter politely standing with the wine Green had ordered prior.

“Thank you.” Red says looking like he wants nothing more than to pin Green to a private surface. Flustered once more Green accepts his glass of wine from their garçon.

“For having me.” Red reiterates, thumbing the edge of the table cloth on his end.

Green knows the future is uncertain, that his Gym isn’t his calling and there would be many more places he would want to visit. Red looks over the rim of his soda, the carbonated sparkles shimmering in his eyes.

Green wouldn’t need to do it alone though because Red would follow him to the ends of the earth just like he had once, like they had been in the shadow of each other's brilliance. And now they can brush the curtains of their destiny apart together.

“I love you.” Green mumbles, ears pink.

Red reaches out to gently push aside the wine glass he was using to hide behind. Green is not prepared for the thousand hundred watts smile Red beamed at him and relaxes in the metaphorical flare.

“I love you too.”

-

Twenty four hours later Daisy meets them at the airport, brimming with excitement. She drags Green to the side whilst they wait for Red to pass through immigration.

“How did it go? Did you guys have fun together-“ she wiggles her eyebrows and Green smacks his sister in mortification.

“No! Yes- yes we had an amazing time.” Green rubs his jaw tiredly.

“We’re dating.” Red materialises beside them and Daisy squeals, throwing her arms around the new couple.

“Finally! Congrats guys I thought you’d never get to it. Come we have to celebrate!” She grabs them both by their protesting hands and hauls. At this point there’s nothing you can do when the Octillery that is Daisy got her hands on you. Deciding to suffer the long ride, Green blinks meaningfully over his sister’s head at Red, it's their thing now and Red returns the sentiment.

They’ll face it together.


End file.
